Drum filling nozzle



Oct. 26, 1954 c. HA LL 2,692,718 DRUM FILLING NOZZLE Filed Feb. 16, 1953Fig. 2

1N VEN TOR. CHESTER L HAUL ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1954 DRUM FILLINGNOZZLE Chester L. Hall, Chester, Pa., assignor to Sun Oil Company,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of New J ersey.

Application February 16, 1953, Serial No. 337,030

3 Claims.

This invention refers in general to the rapid packaging of liquids andmore specifically to the nozzle means for filling liquid containerswithout dripping.

The rapid filling of liquid containers on a production line basisrequires a nozzle means which will deposit the liquid at a rapid rateyet will not drip on the top of the container as the package moves toand from the filling station. Present methods place a container at theloading station ready for filling as one step in an automatic procedure.The empty container is halted and its weight is automatically tared. Thetaring mechanism, once the weight is balanced, indicates the completionand readiness to receive the filling material. The liquid is then passedrapidly into the container from a controlled feed line. When the properweight of material in the container has been reached, the valve isautomatically shut ofi by the weighing mechanism and the container movesfrom the loading station on a conveyor system to closing, sealing, andmarking stations.

During the pause at the filling station, it is usually necessary for anattendant to direct a loading nozzle into the container opening. This isparticularly true where large drums are used, such as are common in thepetroleum industry. Even though the quantity of liquid is determinedautomatically by the Weighing device and automatically operated controlvalves, the liquid is deposited in the drum by means of a nozzlephysically inserted through the bung. When the required amount ofmaterial is in the drum, it is necessary for the attendant to remove thenozzle and permit the drum to pass from the loading station and toreceive another drum for a repetition of the filling operation. It isduring this period of changing the receptacles that the liquid tends todrip over the top of the filling drum and across the head of the emptydrum being moved into the filling position. It is an object of thedisclosed device to prevent the dripping of the liquid on the containersand on the floor at the loading station, thereby conserving the materialbeing packaged and preventing an accumulation of spilled liquid as ahazard.

In general the invention herein disclosed includes a loading nozzlewhich is extendable into the receptacle to a sufiicient depth to reducesplashing and admit the liquid with a minimum amount of contact with theair outside the drum. Attached to the body of the valve is a vacuum lineconstantly drawing air through the bottom of the housing around thenozzle sleeve. As the sleeve is retracted into the valve housing theconstantly applied vacuum pulls the dripping material into the valvehousing and away from the head of the filled drum, leaving the drum andarea dry.

The complete filling means and the method of operation will be morefully understood after reading the following detailed description withreference to the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a typical loading station.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the valve means partially in section.

Figure 3 is a detail of Figure 2.

Referring to the various figures of the drawing wherein like numerals ofreference designate similar parts in each of the figures, the numeral l0designates the drum filling nozzle in working position at the loadingstation. The Weighing scale 12 and movable platform I4, shown asasection of a roller surface 16 on which the drum I8 is moved,constitutes the primary elements at this point. The liquid feed conduit20 with automatically controlled valve 22 serves the drum filling nozzleH] with the loading material. The vacuum line 24 completes this View ofthe general elements necessary to a particular description of the nozzlemeans which follows.

In Figures 2 and 3, the drum filling nozzle I0 is detailed and shown inboth the retracted and extended positions necessary to a completeunderstanding of the device. The nozzle generally indicated by thenumeral l0 includes an external casing 26 longitudinally notched as at28 to receive a slidable handle 30. An adapter 32 threaded to engage thefeed line 20 is additionally threaded on two different diametermeasurements as at 34 and,36 for connection with the fixed and movingparts of the filling nozzle.

A fixed tube 39 threadedly engages the smaller of the diameters 34 inclose proximity to the adapter connection with the feed line it. Thecasing 26 engages the larger threaded diameter 36 and positions thesliding tube within the casing. The handle '30 inserted through thelongitudinal slot 28 engages the sliding tube 40 for manual operationand control.

The casing 26 is constructed to form a chamber 42 for positioningimmediately above the bung of the drum through which the sliding tube Mlis extended and withdrawn. An upper flange 44 is machined in close fitwith the sliding tube or sleeve 40 permitting sliding movement butlimiting the passage of air therebetween as much as possible. Aduplicate flange 45 in equally close 3 sliding contact with the tube 40outlines the opening in the bottom of the casing 26 through which thesliding tube is extended and withdrawn into contact with the drum l8interior during the loading operation. The vacuum line 24 threadedlyengages the casing 26 between the two flanges 44 and 46 through a pad 48added for strengthening purposes to subject the chamber 40 to a constantvacuum.

The sliding tube All noted as engaged by a handle 30 extending throughthe longitudinal slot 23, is held in the retracted position by means ofan ofiset slot '59, shown in Figure 3. To keep the sliding tube lifted,it is merely necessary to turn the handle slightly for engagement in theslot. This form of construction facilitates a quick. release, as well.

It will be obvious that the cycle of operation of the filling process ispractically continuous in order to fulfill its purpose. However, inorder to understand the device as disclosed, this operating cycle willbe considered as beginning with the introduction of a clean, empty drumto the weighing platform M as it moves along the roller bed H6. The drumis automatically tared and a signal light indicates the completion ofthis part of the filling operation to the loading station attendant.

The sliding tube 49 is lowered through the bung hole 52 of the drum itfor suflicient depth pre-- determined with the view to admitting theloading liquid and reducing the tendency to splash tions the handle 39at the downward end of the slot 28, as shown in dot and dash lines onFigure 2. By pressing a release button the operator starts the automaticoperation of the valve 22 permitting the filling liquid to flow throughthe feed pipe 20 into the drum 18. When the proper weight of liquid isdeposited within the drum, the weighing platform M, the scale 12 and theautomatic valve 22 cooperate to shut ofi the fiow. This is indicated tothe operator by another electrically 'operated signal. These signals areneither shown nor discussed in detail as they are well known and form nopart of the claimed nozzle device.

The handle 36 is lifted, withdrawing the sliding tube lii upwardly intothe nozzle casing 26 and is held in the retracted position by thelateral movement of the handle into the engaging notch 53. The vacuumcondition supplied through the conduit 2 is established in the chamber42 and is effective at all times. Consequently, this causes an inwardmovement of air from outside the valve casing and across the nozzleopening of the sliding tube 40 and thence into the vacuum line 24.Consequently, with the retraction of the sliding tube 40, the inwardrush of air to fill the chamber 12 carries with it any drippings whichmight have been held by the mouth of the sliding tube 40 after itswithdrawal from the drum.

The now filled drum is passed onto the roller 4 surface and moves on forfurther operation. A new drum is placed on the scale platform [4 and theoperation is repeated. The constantapplication of the vacuum conditionacross the bottom of the sliding tube prevents dripping across eitherthe outgoing or incoming drum reducing the loading hazard and conservingthe material.

lC'he invention claimed is:

l. A drum filling nozzle comprising a casing adapted to pass liquidtherethrough and divided into an upper and lower chamber, a tube infixed relation to and extending through the upper chamber andterminating in the lower chamber, a sliding tube in operating engagementwith the fixed tube and adapted to be retractably extended through thechambers in said casing, a handle connected to operate the sliding tubeextending through a slot in the upper chamber portion of said casing foroperating said sliding tube, and a conduit connected to the lowerchamber through which a vacuum condition is supplied thereto.

2. A drum filling nozzle comprising a cylindrical casing apertured atthe top and bottom thereof, an adapter constructed to engage andposition the casing for operation, a pair of concentrically disposedtubes within said casing, the first threadedly engaging said adapter andthe second being of substantially the same length adapted to slidelongitudinally of said casing on the first tube, a pair of flangesplaced in spaced relation inthe lower portion of said casing tocircurnferentially engage the sliding tube and form a chamber at thebottom of the fixed tube, and

vacuum creating means connected to the casing between said flanges tomaintain a vacuum condition in said chamber.

3. A filling nozzle for a drum comprising a casing adapted at its upperend for communication with a liquid feed, a conduit, a tube within, andin fixed relation with, the casing and adapted to receive liquid fromsaid feed conduit, the casing having inwardly extending flanges at itslower end and above its lower end, forming between them a, chamber, asecond tube surrounding the fixed tube and slidable downward from anupper retracted position along the fixed tube and along said flanges andthen project substantially below the casing, said tubes thenconstituting a passage adapted to convey the liquid from the feedconduit to the drum to be filled, said slidable tube when retractedclearing the opening formed by the lower annular flange, and a conduitadapted to be placed under suction connected with the said lower chamberof the casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,981,485 Westin Nov. 20, 1934 2,071,006 Urschel Feb. 16, 19372,524,560 Cote Oct. 3, 1950

